SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 3

SPORT IN BRITAIN

'[From Our English Correspondent.] LONDON November 14. SOCCER. The prospects of Derby County and Leeds United were much discussed last Saturday, the leadership of the first division of the League depending on the results of the matches in which these clubs were concerned. Derby Counti' were at home to Leicester City, another club well up the table, and thought by some experts to be capable of bringing off a big surprise. The match showed ■ the strength of the Derby team and to win by such a margin as 5 goals to 2, even with the advantage of playing at home, suggests that the Peakites will take a lot of beating. Meanwhile, Leeds United had to visit Bolton, and the “ Trotters ” happened'to find real champion form, with the result that the United went under by 4 goals to 1. These happenings gave Derby a clear lead in the table, with 20 points for fourteen matches, Leeds being 2 points behind, but with a game in hand. Sheffield Wednesday succeeded in beating their Manchester United visitors by the odd goal in 3, whilst Blackburn drew (1 goal each) when at home to Bury. As a result Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn are each a point behind the leaders, though Blackburn have played an extra match. Two outstanding wins were gained by Aston Villa and Newcastle United when visiting Sunderland and Manchester City respectively, the scores being 3 goals to 1 and 4 goals to 2. Both Huddersfield and Tiverton prevailed, the former scoring 7 goals to 1 by their Burnley visitors, whilst last season’s League champions triumphed by a goal to nil when receiving Cardiff City. The prospects of Chelsea winning the second division championship have been considerably improved through the result of the chief matches last Saturday. At home to Preston North End, the Chelsea marksmen _ showed great dash, and ultimately triumphed by 2 goals to 1. Meanwhile, Notts County could only draw when visiting Clapton Orient, each scoring twice. Another factor was the 5 goals to 1 success of Bradford when at home to Hull City. This leaves Notts County at the head of the table with 21 ’mints for fourteen matches, Chelsea and Hull being a point behind, though the latter has played an extra match. Glasgow Bangers have a, wonderful record in the Scottish League. Only one point has been dropped out .of a possible 21, and the team has not .suffered even one defeat so far. Saturday’s win was at the expense ol Falkirk, the latter, at home, going under by 4 goals to 1. Heart of Midlothian have the second best record, 21 points for fourteen games, the o goals to 1 success when at homo to Motherwell on Saturday being an excellent performance.

Celtic managed to draw at Aberdeen, 2 goals each, but this famous club hardly appears to be quite as strong as usual.

Apart from League fray, the big fixture was the international at Belfast, where the English amateurs defeated Ireland’s amateur team by 2 goals to 0. E. N. R. Creek, a Corinthian player, registered both goals for the visitors, and but for the excellent work of the Irish goalkeeper, the defeat of the home side would have been severe. RUGBY". Four interesting fixtures in the intercounty Rugby championship were decided on Saturday. Yorkshire did well to visit Northumberland and prevail by 15 points to 8, and Lancashire also gained a notable triumph when beating Cumberland by IS points to 14, the losers being at home. Somerset and Gloucestershire had a great struggle at Bridgewater, the home fifteen just winning by a point. Gloucestershire scored two tiles, bat without converting, whilst Somerset registered one try and also scored 4 points through a dropped goal. Devon leceiv-’l Cornwall at Plymouth, and aftc. an interesting ■struggle, which showed both sets of forwards to advantage, Devon prevailing by 9 points to 3. As to club . matches, Blackhealh played a great game when beating Oxford University on the latter’s ground, the score being 14 points to 3. Harlequins also visited Richmond, and prevailed by 11 points to 7, whilst the success of Leicester by S points to 5, when receiving Cardiff, was another notable performance. Coventry gained still another victory when visiting Guy’s Hospital, 8 points to 4, but lost on Monday when at home to Cardiff by 0 points to 5, this being the first reverse of the' season.

The strength of Glasgow Academicals was again seen in the big success against Royal High School, the score being 23 points to U. Edinburgh Academicals also gained a notable triumph when visiting West of Scotland, the former prevailing by 20 points to 0. THE TURF. It is already clear that the Grand National next March is likely to be of exceptional interest. Now that American sportsmen have turned their thoughts towards the big ’chase, it js probable that they will go on with it, and the prominent manner a candidate from the other side of the Atlantic performed in the last race, must serve to encourage owners with ambition to score at Aintree. The alteration to be made in the canal fence will a.so tend to make the race more interesting and improve the chance of candidates getting the course. It is believed that there will be fewer false starts next flat-race season, owing to the general introduction of what is known as the Australian starting gate, a much mare solid affair than some of the barriers seen on many English courses in the past. Horses can be schooled to stand, and when jockeys know they cannot break through tapes, more equal starting should be the rule. GOLF. Four players who represented Britain in the last Walker Cut) matches against the United States were included in the West Hill team whwli beat Cambridge University very decisively last Saturday, the Light Hires only winning one of the eighteen matches decided. W. H. Ha/dett' showed brilliant form when beating G. Illingworth in the singles, his 1 erneward score being four under 4’s. Mf re lino golf was shown by R. H. Jobson, who had five 3’s on bis card, all secured between the seventh and twelfth holes. No wonder he wm by 8 and 6. BOXING. It is very unusual for the company attending the National Sporting Club boxing entertainments to show disapproval of the referee’s decision. When, however, the. result of the fifteen rounds’ bout between Sam Stewart and L. Vinez was announced as a - draw, a storm of protest broke out which must have made the referee feel uncomfortable. The British light-weight champion was certainly outpointed during the. first six rounds,' and although he livened up later, most experts thought .Viuez a good winner. The

Frenchman was given a great ovation on leaving the ring, which must have ‘’ toned down ” the decision somewhat. Another international was staged at The Ring, where D. Volaute, of Liverpool, who is rapidly making a big name as a feather-weight, gained a convincing win over A. Gyde, of France. This was a contest in which the straight left boat swings, for the Liverpool lad kept his rival away by this means and scored almost at will. His straight leads nearly always found the target, and when Gydo tried rushing and heavy swings, the homo man invariably shot out his left and made connection before the swinging punches of his rival landed. The bout went its full distance, Volaute being an easy winner on points He seemed content to pile up the points without seeking to win by a knock-out. his right hardly ever being called into use. Volaute is clearly a talented boxer, and he ought to be’ heard of in the future. BILLIARDS. "With Fred Lind rum, of Australia, here, the billiard season will take on added import nice. Naturally the visitor from ‘'down under” will need time to shake off the tiring effects of his long journey, but his record is such as to lead many authorities to believe he will soon show form comparable with the three leading cracks, in England. The six weeks’ match between Joe Davis (champion) and Tom Newman is nearing its end, and although Newman is leading at the moment, the result is still doubtful. He led by 1,996 at the end of the fifth week, Davis considerably reducing Newman’s lead on Saturday, thanks largely to a break of 763. Resuming this week, Newman drew away again and increased his' lead to over 2,000. Another fine effort by Davis yesterday again altered the look of things, as he reduced Newman’s lead to 1,412. With players who are liable of making a four-figure break, the difference is likbly to be wiped away at one session, so that a keen finish may yet be seen.

ATHLETICS. Cambridge University lias a fine middle-distance runner in C. E. G. Green who won both the “half” and “mile” at the last inter-’varsity sports. Competing for Christ’s College against Clar in an intercollego competition, ho won the ‘‘mile,” ‘half,” and tw; miles, in that order, and never appeared to be out of an easy stride True, the times were nothing great, but his iorm was convincing. Another Cantab; in M. H. G. Gutteridge ran well when finishing second from scratch in a half-mile handicap. He was 12yds behind the winner at the finish, the time being Imin 58 3-uscc. The Freshmen’s Sports at Oxford have shown that the Dark Blues will be able to call on some excellent new material. .H. S. Townend, of Urascnoso, is one of them, his double success in the “half” and “mile,” being excellent. Another excellent performance was accomplished by P. Norton, of New College, who cleared 21ft llin in the long jump. The half-mile for seniors was also pleasing from an Oxford point of view, W. C. Wentwort, of New College, being successful in 2min 2 ]-ssec. Better still was the running -of R. Leigh-Wood in the open 300yds lusulirap. The Blue finished second from scratch, being fairly close to the winner, who recorded 32 l-ssec. _ LeighWood is a runner likely to improve, and it will surprise many of his admirers should he fail to win the “ quarter” for Oxford at the next inter’varsity sports. The Oxford cross-country, men found the South London Harriers too strong for -them in a race over the Shotover course, of 7f miles on Saturday, the London team winning with the lesser total of 22 points to 33. B. 0. Oddie, of the South London Harriers, finished first in 43min 7sec—a new record for the course, and a fine performance,.